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Residential Boulevard Program

Over the past several years, the Town of Whitecourt has been working in selected areas to transition residential boulevards from graveled pads to turf grass. While the Town’s Land Use Bylaw has always required that the area between an owner’s property line and back of walk/curb be grassed, over the years, some property owners have expanded their parking area by the placement of gravel adjacent to their driveway. These pads have been used mainly for the storage of recreational vehicles and additional parking for their passenger vehicles.

Why is the Town enforcing this issue?

Identified by the public as a concern - Gravel placed next to driveways was one of the issues raised through public input when the Town was reviewing its Land Use Bylaw in 2014 and 2015 as being not esthetically pleasing.

Deteriorates road infrastructure - When used as a driving surface, and following heavy runoff, tracked gravel speeds up the deterioration of Town sidewalks and roadways.

Pedestrian safety – Tracked gravel on sidewalks is a hazard for young cyclists, roller-bladers and skateboarders.

Limits on-street parking - On some streets, on-street parking is limited and people visiting a residential area may find it difficult to park when driveways, through the gravel pads, appear to be excessively wide.

Utilities – If work needs to be done to underground services in the boulevard, the surface will only be restored to a grass standard, as per municipal bylaws.

Program Details

The Residential Boulevard Program is labour intensive as our staff work with property owners on an individual basis to restore their boulevard to turf. To allow sufficient interaction with our residents, the Town has broken down the program into phases, so that a coordinated approach can be taken to bring a cohesive look to our neighbourhoods.

Previous phases of the program have been very successful, with an overall compliance rate of almost 100% in Phase 1. The Town of Whitecourt greatly appreciates the work that our residents have already undertaken to improve their properties under the guidelines of the Land Use Bylaw.

Phase III of the program has begun, and the Planning & Development Department will be working with property owners on Ridgeway Point, Rodeo Way, Reeves Street, Richmond Close, and 55 Avenue from the Dahl Drive/Mink Creek Road intersection east to Reeves Street. Areas on the hill include Beaver Drive, Chickadee Drive, Kimzey Crossing, Feero Drive, Baxter Crescent, and a portion of Sunset Boulevard. Non-compliant properties in this area of town have been requested to remediate their property before June 30, 2019.

Regardless of where your home is located, our Planning Staff are always available to answer your questions at 780.778.2273 or by e-mailing planning@whitecourt.ca.

Have a question about driveway development? Contact the Planning & Development Department at 780-778-2273 or planning@whitecourt.ca.